Partnership for the Prevention of Child Trafficking

The Romanian and US governments have signed a compact partnership in the field of child protection

Mihai Pelin, 17.09.2024, 13:50

Romania is the first country in Europe to benefit from a US financial aid package worth 10 million USD, designed to improve the national system for preventing and combating child trafficking. During a ceremony hosted by Bucharest, the Romanian and US governments signed a compact partnership for child protection, intended to be implemented over a period of five years.

“Human trafficking is an evil that robs millions of people worldwide of their dignity and freedom. (…) To help the most vulnerable, the United States government will work with the Romanian government and civil society to develop a five-year Child Protection Compact Partnership,” said U.S. Ambassador to Bucharest Kathleen Kavalec. The U.S. official said the United States “will support Romania in its efforts to develop a victim-centered prevention strategy, increase protection for child victims of trafficking, and improve investigations to prosecute and convict perpetrators of child trafficking.” Romanian Interior Minister Cătălin Predoiu, for his part, said that the signing of this partnership is in fact a continuation of previous cooperation, which at the same time demonstrates the determination of the Bucharest authorities to combat child abuse in all its forms. In recent years, such phenomena have increased alarmingly around the world, including online and other forms of child exploitation and trafficking, and Romania has not been spared from this scourge, the Romanian official argued.

The agreement is structured around four objectives: prevention, protection, prosecution and cooperation between public authorities and civil society. The signing of the partnership opens a new front in the fight against human trafficking and aims to ensure the online safety of children. In this way, the implementation of certain objectives adopted in the National Strategy against Trafficking in Human Beings 2024-2028 will be ensured. Protecting children and adolescents from the dangers of human trafficking is a priority adopted by the Ministry of the Interior, through the National Agency against Trafficking in Human Beings. As part of the partnership, the authorities will set up the National Centre for Combating the Abuse and Sexual Exploitation of Minors Online, which will operate within the General Inspection Body of the Romanian Police, in addition to a Centre of Excellence for Children’s Digital Safety, established at the level of the National Authority for the Protection of Children’s Rights and Adoption. In addition, the relevant authorities expect an increase in the level of awareness among the population regarding the risks of child trafficking and their online sexual exploitation. The Ministry of the Interior reaffirmed its commitment to continue its efforts, in cooperation with other relevant institutions and authorities, to combat human trafficking and improve protection and assistance to victims of such crimes. (VP)